Disability

Introduction

As part of the clubs continued community involvement, Annan Athletic FC are delighted to announce their partnership with the newly formed Annan disability football side.

AEDS are now working in partnership with Annan Athletic to develop disability football in Annandale & Eskdale raising the profile of disability sport. The partnership also hopes to develop disability football within the club and next year the team will be competing as Annan Athletic in the League. Other benefits will also see the organisations work together with AAFC providing additional coaching and facilities with the side also sporting the clubs first team strip for the remainder of the season.

The side has been formed through the programmes ran by Annandale & Eskdale Disability Sport (AEDS) who are a charitable body operating in Annandale & Eskdale in partnership with Dumfries & Galloway Council to increase opportunities for people with a disability to participate in sport.

One of the target participation sports for the AEDS was Football and through this a weekly football club was set up in 2007 and has since grown in strength, with around 25 participants each week attending.

The footballers compete in various 5 and 7 a-side competitions throughout the year locally and nationally and are currently the Scottish Disability Sport 7 a-side champions for the 2nd consecutive year. The team also competed in the Special Olympics in Bath in 2013 coming home with the Bronze medal.

SFA Disability Football League

The Scottish FA were successful in a funding bid from the Scottish Government through their Cashback for Communities fund which support development of underrepresented groups and deprived areas of Scotland.

This funding has enabled the Scottish FA to create a PAN Disability League for the next 3 seasons and is currently in full flow after starting in August 2014. Most disabled footballers, whether juniors or adults, play in what are known as pan-disability clubs or teams. These are teams comprised of footballers with differing impairments, playing together. The league will allow opportunities for Adults, Females and youths the opportunity to compete in competitive 7 a-side match over the course of a 5 league day as well as a banding competition.